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Documenting the first big "ops"
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Author:  Nate Swanger [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Documenting the first big "ops"
Any way as the title suggests after about 8 to 10 hours of planing and sanding. I squared up my fret board and marked fret locations only to realize the reason the first 3 frets i cut were off square by 0.020. Just so happens its because i started my first fret off the the NOT SQUARE end.... [headinwall] even after i took the time to mark in big yellow letters on the side "THIS END DUMMY!"

*deep breath

Oh well, any way, first mistake on my first build that I cant fix...

At least on the bright side I get some more practice squaring and planing laughing6-hehe
Author:  DennisK [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Documenting the first big "ops"
I have yet to make any definite un-recoverable errors, but probably my worst is on fret slots too. They're all nice and square to the centerline and positioned just right. The problem is that I can't hold a saw vertical [headinwall]
So they're all at a slight angle that might leave a gap under one edge of the frets. I guess I should try sticking a fret in there and see how it sits before I glue it onto the neck.
Author:  Rob Warren [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Documenting the first big "ops"
Are the slots parallel to each other?? If they are, why cant you just redraw the centerline and work off the other side?

Wait I think I misunderstood, so the nut end is the problem?? I usually treat the nut as another fret slot and just go all the way through the board, rather than rely om keepimg everything square with the already trimmed nut end.. Then, as long as your slots are square to the centerline, your good to go. You can taper off the centerline.
Author:  Nate Swanger [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Documenting the first big "ops"
Rob Warren wrote:
Are the slots parallel to each other?? If they are, why cant you just redraw the centerline and work off the other side?

Wait I think I misunderstood, so the nut end is the problem?? I usually treat the nut as another fret slot and just go all the way through the board, rather than rely om keepimg everything square with the already trimmed nut end.. Then, as long as your slots are square to the centerline, your good to go. You can taper off the centerline.



Yeah i thought about that after the first "mess up" beer, don't think it can be fixed though, just because of the way i tapered it. my high spot (thickness at marked nut end) was .250", which is the min height per the design, it then is compound tapped down 1/32 on the bass side only (stayed .250 down the treble side). Flipping it and using the other end, even fixing the center line issue leaves the frets off position .020-.030", and the tapper is on the wrong side. I think it would get too thin trying to remove the tapper and start over. Maybe i'm missing something, but i dont see a way to get every thing "close enough" to work out.

edit: Ops over looked what you were saying, the tapper that i refer to is in the thickness, not the width.
Author:  Bob Shanklin [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Documenting the first big "ops"
Nate

Look on the bright side. You can cut it off at the third fret, and use the rest for a Size5 guitar down the road. Ready made pre-shaped fretboard. bliss

Bob
Author:  Robert Renick [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Documenting the first big "ops"
Call it a partial multi-scale. It is amazing how many steps to make neck and how specific the order is. I rate woodworking mistakes by counting my fingers, if I still have 10, little mistake, after all wood does grow on trees.

DennisK wrote:
So they're all at a slight angle that might leave a gap under one edge of the frets. I guess I should try sticking a fret in there and see how it sits before I glue it onto the neck.

They still pound in, perhaps this is why some one started binding FB's.
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